Should we have dropped the Atomic Bomb?

Directions: Watch some of the following videos and read/mark-up some of the following documents to answer the question, "Should we have dropped the Atomic Bomb." Use evidence from the sources below to support your argument.

Atomic Bomb VideosAbomb.jpg

Watch some of the test videos to get an idea of what Manhattan Project scientists knew about their weapon. There are links to several videos all on this link. Look at several by clicking the back arrow. Click back twice to return the this wiki page.
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Movies/index_movies.shtml

Documents from a variety of sources

Read and mark up ONE of the following texts then email it to your teacher:
1. To mark up texts, open the document, save it to your personal account with the given file name PLUS YOUR LAST NAME and PERIOD (ex. Trinity Test_Alvarez.Johnson P2). Return to the wiki page (back arrow) and re-open the file as a word document.
2. Next go to the "Tools" tab at the top of the page, scroll down to "track changes" and turn on this tool. As you read, insert your cursor and type comments where you would normally write in the margins. Your comments will be red and underlined. Highlight (using the toolbar at the top of the page) anything you would normally highlight.
3. Save when you are done, open your personal email account, and send the marked-up text to your teacher’s email marked on the board at front.

Should it have been dropped?
Trinity Test, account by L.W. Alvarez
Trinity Test, Top Secret doc. by Col. Warren
Official Bombing Order, July 25, 1945
Harry S. Truman's Diary, July 25, 1945
Was it Necessary?

Honors level (extra credit for CP): Go to one (or both) of the following links and read more about Truman's decision to drop the bomb:
Interview by Leo Szilard "President Truman Did Not Understand"
http://members.peak.org/~danneng/decision/usnews.html
Testimony of Hiroshi Sawachika
http://www.inicom.com/hibakusha/hiroshi.html

You decide what the U.S. should have done

Fill out this graphic organizer with justifications (reasons) why we should or should NOT have dropped the bomb, AND suggest other solutions to ending the war in the Pacific.

Project Extension and Grading:

The above T chart can be used by students for participation in a Mock Truman Advisory Table (a Socratic seminar-type activity). Afterwords, have all students write a paragraph about what each student would do if she were Truman and had to make a decision about the atomic bomb.

Here's the rubric for the 4 parts of your grade.